Enhancing Data Center Infrastructure Management with Augmented and Mixed Reality

Datacenter architecture is evolving from traditional box-like systems to more futuristic structures, with augmented reality, artificial intelligence, machine learning, self-driving robots, and other technologies shaping the future of DC operations.

Datacenter operations involve a plethora of sophisticated systems, modern equipment, and machinery that necessitate a high level of experience and skill for effective operation and rapid upkeep. AI and machine learning systems can simplify or, in some cases, totally automate these procedures. Augmented reality can aid in real-time data center infrastructure maintenance by allowing on-site technicians and engineers to verify live data with a single click

In an ideal case, the machines will never go under breakdown and function continuously for an infinite amount of time. But at times break downs do happen, and it's impossible where every technician will know how to troubleshoot the breakdown that occurred as there are far too many devices to keep track of and gain perfect knowledge of each of them. Even the most seasoned IT professional will find it difficult to keep track of how to properly repair, maintain, and update devices.

The evolution of augmented reality (AR) for data center maintenance and repair offers enormous potential for on-site workers and engineers. Real-time data can be shown on a tablet, mobile device, or wearable device, displaying 3D graphics to assist personnel in executing maintenance operations.

The procedure includes scanning the barcode of the rack whose maintenance is being performed via the AR application or device. It will retrieve data from the primary server and generate a 3D visualization using blocks and lines to display real-time insights and statistics. The operator can execute the project by following the pathways and directions depicted through a hologram in augmented reality.

AR is taking data center operations to the next level of digitalization, by preparing the IT workforce of the future making it simpler for engineers and technicians to manage and repair devices on-site with little or no additional training required.

AI and machine learning are playing an increasingly important role in the development of self-driving data centers.

When artificial intelligence was first introduced, its application was rather limited. Five years later, AI is thriving in every industrial area, and organizations are attempting to leverage the power of data for decision-making and deeper operational insights. Artificial intelligence has been slow to be applied to operational challenges in the data center industry.

AI automation can scale to analyze enormous amounts of data, gathering critical insights required for minimizing energy consumption, spreading workloads, and optimizing efficiency to achieve greater data-center resource utilization. According to Gartner's research, more than 30% of data center operators will be economically and operationally unviable if they don't deploy AI in their DC infrastructure management.

By optimizing power management, artificial intelligence can assist organizations in reducing data center energy and emissions. Cutting power from data center cooling modules can save one-third of the energy. Each year, data centers in the United States alone consume more than 90 billion kilowatt-hours of power. On a global scale, power consumption can reach 416 terawatts or about 3% of total electricity generated on the planet. This necessitates the creation of more environmentally friendly data centers with lower carbon footprints and more efficient power optimization.

The temperature control requirements of data centers are influenced by data traffic and weather. Legacy cooling systems do not precisely meet the cooling service requirements of the equipment. Cooling systems in data centers are more sophisticated than those in our homes; they include cooling towers, chillers, pumps, and an indoor unit. Managing this system manually is a daunting process, thus most of the energy is lost in cooling rather than producing an optimal output. AI and machine learning-based power management may aid in the optimization of heating and cooling systems, lowering electricity costs, reducing manpower, and increasing efficiency.

AI and machine learning are also utilized for equipment management, where the AI can learn what is normal from the data it collects and forecast any abnormalities that are found. AI systems can keep track of the health of servers, storage, and networking equipment, ensure that systems are configured correctly, and predict when the equipment can go into a breakdown.

AI systems can 'learn' how typical network traffic looks through machine learning, identify anomalies in the data, prioritize which alarms require security expert's attention, assist with post-incident analysis of what went wrong, and provide recommendations for patching vulnerabilities in organizational security defenses.

Datacenter failures can cause long periods of downtime. As a result, businesses employ specialized personnel to monitor and forecast data failures. Manually forecasting data losses, on the other hand, might be challenging. Employees in data centers need to decode and evaluate a range of vulnerabilities to determine the root cause of various issues. AI deployment in the data center can be a viable solution for this problem. Artificial intelligence can help in identifying and forecasting data failures by monitoring server performance, network congestion, and disc usage. AI systems can execute mitigation techniques on their own to assist the data center in recovering from a data outage.

To remain relevant in the future, today's data centers must upgrade, update, and harness the power of AI. AI and machine learning advancements have the potential to transform data center architecture and enable more automated and efficient data management.

About Rahi

Rohit Singal, VP Sales- India & SAARC- Rahi

Rahi, a leading tech enabler, which delivers solutions and services that maximize the performance, scalability, and efficiency of today's integrated environment. Rahi Systems is dedicated to helping customers meet their business goals, leveraging innovative technologies. Their areas of expertise include – Data Center Solutions, Enterprise IT Infrastructure, Networking & Security, Cloud Infrastructure, and AV Solutions to create an integrated environment that drives efficiencies and gives the 'customer' a competitive advantage. In about 9 years, Rahi Systems has a global presence across 32 countries and is committed to providing state-of-the-art IT infrastructure solutions for business transformation.